Author's Note: This sprung from an askbox prompt given to me on tumblr a couple months ago - 'Drink' Character A will call, text, or show up at character B's house drunk. Specify which of the three. This was originally supposed to be a drabble but I cannot write anything remotely short so this is what happened. I also added some more exposition (cause I like dat) before posting it on here. Go me.
Ebrius
"Oh Claaaude! Where are you?" The boy called out in a singsong voice as he all but staggered down the dimly lit hallway. Alois opened his mouth to say something more only to be cut off by his own laughter. The young earl stumbled over his own feet, barely catching himself on the wall with one hand as he attempted to hold onto a wine glass in the other.
Tonight had been the eve of a party that the young Earl Trancy held for his dear 'friends' and acquaintances. It was all about appearances these days and hosting fun social events, which increased one's reputation greatly. It was all part of a game those of noble blood took to playing; people were always trying to outdo one another. Every single month on the night of Alois' not-so-little get-togethers, it ended up just like this; Alois would have a good time- perhaps too good of a time- and end up rather drunk. By the end of the night the boy always ended up wandering the hallways of his home. Sometimes he was just trying to find his way back to his own room for some much needed sleep, and other times he felt that he should grace Claude with his drunken presence. Alois was not the kind of person who consumed enough alcohol to cloud his mind on a regular basis, but it always tended to happen when he was having too much fun (not to mention the fact he would be egged on by others and overindulge because he felt as if he deserved a break).
Most of the older members of the crowd had cleared out and headed home for the night, but there were still a few guests left seeing as Alois' social events lasted well into the wee hours of the morning. A silly little thing like the hour of the day would not deter the boy from doing what he wanted (especially since the people who were still there had long since faded away from the realm of consciousness). It was always the same pattern; perhaps the only predictable cycle in Alois' constantly fluctuating state of being. At the beginning of the evening, he only wished to have fun and forget anything that might be troubling his young mind. As the clock ticked on, he wanted to consume more of whatever delicious tasting wine was being distributed so he could completely lose himself in the frivolities. It was a way to forget, a way to have a little bit of fun in his life. By the end of the night when all the 'important' people had long since left the premises, and those who stayed would not remember why they were their come morning, he only desired the company of his butler, even if it was just for a few minutes.
On these always-eventful nights, Alois would dismiss the demon after anyone who would not end up on the floor took their leave. It was then up to Alois to find Claude once he was able to get away from the dwindling crowd. But accomplishing that proved to be quite an adventure as he made an attempt to navigate down the hallways he knew so well; it seemed as if he had been placed in a very difficult maze. Everything he did was always a hell of a lot harder when an ample amount of alcohol was involved.
"Come out, come ou' where e'er y'are." Alois cooed, his words slurring together in his drunken stupor. "S'not the time to be playin' hide 'n' seek with me." The boy's hazy gaze lazily swept over the empty corridor as if he was expecting the butler to show up the moment he told him to make his presence known. That changed when Alois' eyes widened with delight when he saw the telltale sign of candlelight filtering through the bottom of one of the doors; the door to Claude's room. He had a vague idea that he had wandered into the servant's quarters, but he did not remember going there. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own and had automatically directed him to the dim hallway. A wicked grin flashed across as the boy's face as he strode forward to open the door, which of course, was done with a flourish.
"There you are Claudie!" He exclaimed, a rather effeminate giggle working its way out of his throat. "I've been lookin' for you fore'er an' I was beginnin' t'thin' tha' y'took off on me." Maintaining any clarity in his speech now seemed to be a hard feat and a goal he could not quite reach. His butler was lounging on the bed reading; his tailcoat draped over the back of a chair and his shirt was untucked. It was as close to 'casual' and 'relaxed' as Claude would ever get.
A visit from an obviously intoxicated Alois had not come as a surprise to the demon. Not one little bit. In fact, Claude had been expecting this to happen. It always did. He barely even looked up from his book when Alois burst in and shuffled towards him, almost knocking over a desk chair in the process. At least there was not much in the room that the boy could hurt himself on. Last time this had happened, Alois had smacked his knee against the tea table and toppled over onto the sofa in the process. He would be lucky to wake up in the morning without any bruises from his reckless traversing.
The boy flopped down next to Claude; lying on his stomach in a space that could hardly hold him as most of the bed was already occupied. But Alois always managed to fit, one way or another. With an exasperated sigh, the young earl dropped the glass he had in his hand, letting it tumble gently to the ground, not caring one way or another if it broke. He grinned at Claude as the demon's disinterested gaze followed the glass' short descent. Leave it to Alois to come in and already make more work for him.
"Whatchya readin'?' Alois asked, peering at the book in the butler's bare hands. He tried focusing on the title etched on the front, but his vision was not at its peak and his mind was too distorted to even bother right now. It was not like he was going to be reading it anyways. The boy propped himself up on his elbows and twisted his body sideways so that he was facing Claude. Alois inched as close as possible to the demon before gently laying a hand on Claude's chest and letting his head fall against his shoulder.
"Plato's Timeaus; I don't think that it would hold your interest your Highness, especially right now." Claude replied, shutting the book and gently setting it on his lap as he turned his undivided attention to his master. There was little use in trying to read now. Alois would want to be the center of attention and he was definitely not willing to have Claude's attention captivated by a piece of classical literature.
"Eh, you're probably right." the boy dismissed without casting the book another glance.
"Is there something I can do for you?" Claude asked. "Perhaps see you to bed? Or would you like a bath first?"
Rather than providing an adequate answer, Alois stared at his servant while letting his fingers fiddle with the buttons on the demon's shirt. He flashed Claude a grin as he craned his neck towards the butler, only to receive a questioning glance (or what he perceived as one) in return. The boy rolled his eyes, wondering why Claude even bothered to look at him like that. It did not take a detective to figure out what Alois was playing at.
What happened next seemed to happen quickly, which surprised even Claude when taking into consideration Alois' level of intoxication. Alois ended up pushing the book off Claude's lap and sent it to the hardwood floor with a thud. The boy's own body was now in its place as he straddled Claude's long legs. The earl leaned forward and settled himself against the demon's body as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"There." Alois said, fondly running a hand through Claude's inky locks. "That's better."
Before Claude could even formulate a response- if he even had one that is- Alois gave him a peck on the lips while giggling like an utter fool. The corner of Claude's mouth twitched when he tasted the alcohol on the boy's soft lips. Hell, he could smellit all over the earl. It was a shame how something as simple as a drink could make a soul less enticing. It masked the scent of what Claude truly desired and skewed its taste. Even if he did not gain emotional pleasure from his master's kisses, his primal instincts always took over once he was allowed a taste of his own forbidden fruit; temptation for him to break the contract and take the boy's life earlier than planned. But by doing that, he would be picking something before it was ripe. Though it might look, smell, and even taste good, it was nowhere near its prime. Allowing his lips to part slightly, Claude decided that he would stop now before he tried something he would later regret; a demon's hunger came and went much like the tide and tonight it was high.
Alois, of course, mistook Claude's minute reaction as a plea for more. He was all too happy to oblige. A messy kiss was planted on the butler's now resistant lips. With a dissatisfied hum, the boy quickly decided that Claude's neck looked much more inviting than his mouth at the moment. With that in mind, he turned his attention to the pale expanse of flesh under his fingertips. He let his hands fall to Claude's shoulders as he ran his tongue along the demon's cool skin before he decided he might as well try to make a mark on the fleshy canvas.
During the assault Claude remained still, the ever-present stoic expression plastered on his handsome face. He did not even bother bringing his hands up to rest them on the boy's back. No, they just stayed limp by his sides. Alois was not going to get far enough that required any effort from Claude until he was asked. Not tonight.
Alois continued to ravage his butler's neck, leaving large red marks and tiny indents from this use of his teeth. His movements were clumsy and harsh. The earl allowed soft moans to fall from his occupied mouth as he ground his hips against the butler. Alois always derived pleasure seeing Claude's skin red and swollen. It would not last for long since Claude's kind healed quickly, but it was a nice sight to admire for an hour or so. There was something so empowering about marring a demon. It made Alois feel as if he was truly the dominant one in their twisted relationship. Not only did he have verbal authority over his demon, but also he was able to inflict pain upon him and pain meant power to Alois.
By the time he was done with his attack, Alois was panting like a dog. He had gotten so into his work that a fine layer of perspiration shone in the candle's soft glow. The boy dropped his head, shut his eyes, and buried his face in the crook of Claude's neck as he continued to rock his body against him, trying to gain some form of friction for his already prominent erection.
"Touch me." Alois demanded, not bothering to lift his head up. Just as the demon had predicted, he was only needed once Alois had satisfied his sadistic urges.
Claude never needed to be told to do something twice. Lifting his hands, he wedged them between their bodies and managed to snake a hand down Alois' shorts. The moment his hand came into contact with the earl's heated skin, Alois let out a wanton moan and nuzzled his neck, telling him to continue. The demon's long fingers deftly danced along the side of his shaft, ghosting over the slickened skin as Alois continued to writhe in his grasp. It was amusing just how rapidly arousal struck whenever Alois placed himself in questionable positions with his butler, especially when he was drunk.
"God Claude, why 'r'you so skilled with your hands? Did ya- ah- used t'be a bloody pianist or somefin'?"
"As you know your Highness, I am only here to serve you and make you happy. If this is all it takes, then so be it." Claude answered. The last portion of his reply was drowned out as Alois' lewd cries grew louder and his movements became erratic to the point where he was blindly thrusting himself into the demon's hand.
Claude's grip tightened as he ran a thumb over the head of Alois' erection, causing the boy to pant his name. It was so easy to make the haughty earl fall apart by something as simple as a touch. It was pathetic how humans would succumb so easily, especially when they had the audacity to flaunt their power and status on a daily basis, not wanting anyone to take their dignity away from them. Everything was always so different behind closed doors.
All it took was a few more rolls of his thumb and Alois came into Claude's hand, pressing his face as hard as he could into the butler's shoulder. After the initial shock of blinding pleasure, the boy's breathing slowed to a steady pace and his body went limp. A mixture of the day's excitement, a hormonal overload, and the alcohol coursing through his system sent Alois into a world of darkness. He would be out for the night.
Claude slowly lifted the arm that had remained on the bed the entirety of the time and rested it on his master's waist as he removed his other hand from his shorts. "Once again you've managed to leave me with a mess to clean up even when you are asleep." he commented, reaching for a handkerchief on the side table to wipe off his semen-covered hand before making quick work of cleaning Alois.
After tossing the soiled handkerchief into a waste bin, Claude let his hands return to Alois' slim waist. In one swift motion, Claude lifted the boy off him while managing to lay him in the space he had once occupied on the other side of the small bed. The demon swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and bent over to pick up the book Alois had pushed to the ground earlier that night. He took care in gently smoothening out the wrinkled pages and marked the spot he'd stopped at. Claude shut the book and placed it on the nightstand as he stood up. It always ended this way on the boy's drunken nights; he would fall asleep and leave Claude to quietly restore the order he had so carelessly tampered with.
After rounding the bed, the covers were eased out from under Alois' unconscious body and pushed to the side. Claude figured that he might as well keep his master warm throughout the night. The butler made quick work of taking off Alois' boots and placing them neatly on the ground next to the bed. How Alois had even managed to keep all his clothes on this time was a mystery in itself.
The demon's cold gaze settled on the sock-covered foot he was holding in his hand. His golden eyes followed his fingers as he gently trailed them up his master's leg, causing Alois' toes to curl once he brushed against bare flesh. "It would be so easy," Claude began, leaning closer to Alois' sleeping form. "To take advantage of you." The grip on the boy's thigh tightened. "In this state." Claude's free hand came up to caress Alois' flushed face in what seemed to be a caring and intimate gesture. "But I, unlike those other hellions out there, know how to restrain myself even when the desire to tear you apart is high. How ironic is that? A demonresisting temptation. You don't know how vulnerable you are; a dangerous quality to have when a monster is around." He slid his hand down the young earl's face until his hand was resting on his neck. He could feel the pulsing of his blood under the tips of his fingers. It was simply intoxicating. "I've claimed you in every way possible, so what is one more sacrifice on your behalf? One slip of the hand and you could finally truly be mine. Isn't that what you want? To be mine?"
His question was silently answered when Alois stirred in his sleep and lazily placed his hand on top of Claude's. The demon eased his hand out from under Alois' and pulled the covers over his legs and torso. When he had successfully tucked the boy in for the night, Claude quietly stood up and gathered the wine glass that had been so carelessly deposited on the floor. With the glass in hand, Claude strode towards the door, only to pause and turn for a brief second before shutting it. His eyes settled on his master's angelic face as Alois continued to drift off into the world of dreams. "Soon, your Highness. Very soon." With that promise being made, Claude left the exhausted earl and headed towards the ballroom. After all, there was a lot to tidy up.